An agricultural implement, such as a planter, may have a telescoping tongue connected to a tractor hitch and including at least first and second elongated tubular members arranged in telescoping relation and moveable under hydraulic power (i.e., a hydraulic cylinder) between an extended and a retracted position. In the illustrated embodiment, the retracted position of the telescoping tongue is the field position of the implement—that is, the wings are extended to the side for planting; and with the tongue in the elongated position, the implement is configured for road travel or storage.
In the extend position of the tongue, the wings are folded to extend in the direction of travel. The front of the inner telescoping member is mounted to the tractor hitch; and the outer telescoping member is moved by a hydraulic cylinder between the field and transport positions, as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,205,937 and 6,408,950.
Over the years, planters have become larger (i.e. they have a wider planting swath), and many additional operational features have been added to the conventional ones, such as row markers, and the like. Many of the added accessories or functions require hydraulic motors or hydraulic cylinders to operate, such as air fans for seed delivery, conveyors for central seed distribution, storage hopper augers, lift cylinders, etc.
To accommodate these needs, some farmers have had larger hydraulic pumps installed in the tractors, but as features have continued to be added to the planter frame, the number and size of hydraulic feed hoses have increased as well. It will be realized that the hydraulic hoses must be routed along the wing braces or tongue of the planter (usually with special retainers), and this has created a problem with the mounting and routing of the hydraulic feed lines along the wing braces or telescoping tongue to the tool bar where the planter row units and accessories are mounted. These hose routing inconveniences are exacerbated when it is considered that they run through the wing braces and thence back to the center of the planter frame.